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JUNE 14, 2001

On his last day as Secretary of Interior, Bruce Babbitt called on the National Park Service to completely redo a report on last year's devastating Cerro Grande fire because it was not complete.

In a January 19 memo, Babbitt said the report did not adequately probe the fire, which started after Park Service employs set a "controlled burn" in the Bandelier National Monument in northern New Mexico. He wanted an independent investigation and an entirely new report.

Babbitt's requests went unheeded. The Bush administration released the draft on Tuesday after it was reviewed by Secretary Gale Norton and her staff.

Get Fire Documents:
Cerro Grande Reports | Cerro Grande Memos

Get the Story:
Babbitt Wanted Report on Cerro Grande Overhauled (The Albuquerque Journal 6/14)

Relevant Links:
Fire Jobs, BIA - http://fire.nifc.nps.gov/bia/firejobs/firejobs1.html
BIA Wildfire Management - http://fire.nifc.nps.gov/bia
National Fire Plan - http://www.fireplan.gov
National Interagency Fire Center - http://www.nifc.gov/index.html

Related Stories:
Fire report has mixed reaction (6/13)
Report: No one responsible for Cerro Grande (6/12)
Fire burning on Jicarilla Reservation (6/11)
Norton promotes Indian Country fire efforts (6/8)